A friend asked me a couple of days ago where he ought to stay in Louisville for the NRA Annual Meeting, which will be happening in May 2016.  I gave him a few pointers, and thought I’d spread the word around.

Here is a list of hotels that I’ve either stayed at myself or heard about from other people. They tend to be in ‘better’ areas when it comes to crime and safety, for certain values of better.  Louisville is a medium sized city, with an overall crime problem that is probably pretty close to the national average, but there are some areas that are nicer than others, and several that are, to me, no-go unless absolutely necessary.  I suggest you look at sites such as LMPD’s Crime Maps before making a decision and reservations.

These are hotels I’d recommend, based on their location, their convenience to the Fair and Expo Center, and either my personal experiences there or those of people I know who have stayed there.  You’ll notice I tend to go for hotels that get at least a “3-star” rating.  Yes, I’m a snob when I can afford it.

Expo Center – Travel Time – 0.  Dining and non- NRA entertainment – Almost non-existent.   Not a great part of town.

• Crowne Plaza –  Location, location, location.  You can easily walk to the NRAAM from the hotel, which will save you the drive and parking fees.   Not the newest hotel in town, and the area around it can be a bit rough.  Expect this hotel to fill up by Christmas.
• Four Points by Sheraton – Location, location, location.  You can walk to the NRAAM from the hotel, which will save you the drive and parking fees. The area around it can be a little rough. Expect this hotel to fill up by Christmas.

Downtown – Travel Time – 10 to 20 minutes.  Dining and non-NRA entertainment – Excellent, within certain geographical boundaries.  Don’t stray too far from the hotels and the Fourth Street Live complex.  Travel in packs.

• Seelbach – Very nice, rather expensive. Expect this hotel to fill up by Christmas.
• Brown Hotel – Very nice, rather expensive. Expect this hotel to fill up by Christmas.
• Galt House – Very nice, rather expensive. Expect this hotel to fill up by Christmas.
• Hyatt Regency Louisville– Very nice, rather expensive. However, it’s a really cool building.  Expect this hotel to fill up by Christmas.
• Sheraton Louisville Riverside – Nice Hotel, reasonable pricing.  Located across the river in Indiana, which will add complexity to driving to the Expo Center.

Jeffersontown / Hurstbourne – Travel Time – 20 to 30 minutes.  Dining and non-NRA entertainment – Lots of chain restaurants, several good local chains and restaurants. Easy access to the rest of the city.

• Wingate Louisville East – Nice, rather inexpensive.
• Hawthorn Suites – Nice, rather inexpensive.
• Louisville Marriott East – Very nice, reasonable pricing for what you get.
• Hyatt Place Louisville East – Very nice, reasonable pricing for what you get.
• Embassy Suites Louisville –  Very nice, reasonable pricing for what you get.

Please keep in mind that the travel times are estimated based on personal experience during normal traffic conditions.  If you’re not driving to the Expo Center very early in the morning, you will see traffic backups on I-65 and the I-264/Watterson Expressway, especially on Friday.

I’ll put together a map showing areas that I, personally, would avoid sometime in the next few weeks.

Also, if you have knowledge of a good hotel in and around Louisville, please put a link to their website in comments and I’ll update this post.